Amtrak fills senior operations positions

Amtrak named Magdy El-Sibaie chief safety officer and Robin McDonough chief, business operations. Both will report directly to DJ Stadtler, vice president of operations.

As chief safety officer, El-Sibaie will be responsible for planning, directing and overseeing the safety activities and standards of Amtrak departments to achieve continuous improvement in employee and passenger safety, including the railroad's Safe-2-Safer behavior-based cultural safety program. In addition, he will provide oversight of Amtrak's compliance with safety regulations and participation in current and emerging industry safety programs.

He has more than 20 years of experience in railroad transportation engineering and the application of technology to maintain and improve rail safety and operational efficiency. He currently serves as an associate administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration where he manages and directs programs to issue, revise and enforce federal safety regulations for hazardous material transportation by rail and other modes.

His prior work experience includes serving as director, office of research and development for the Federal Railroad Administration and senior engineer, track and vehicle/track interaction for the Association of American Railroads. El-Sibaie will be based in Washington, D.C., effective Jan. 7, 2013.

As chief, business operations, McDonough is responsible for collecting and analyzing operations performance metrics, performance improvement planning, budgeting and administration and operations technology oversight to ensure integration across the new operations business lines being established under the Amtrak Strategic Plan to support improvements that drive financial and operating performance.

She has been with Amtrak since 1981 and has held a variety of senior positions including most recently as chief, business operations and technology. In that position, she was responsible for a diverse portfolio including transportation technology development, crew management services, scheduling, the Amtrak fuel management program and the planning and analysis of on-board service initiatives to increase productivity and improve customer service, among other duties.

Prior to Amtrak she worked at Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) in a variety of field and office positions including crew dispatcher and yard clerk. McDonough is based in Washington, D.C. and started in her new role on Dec. 17, 2012.